Not a day goes by where some report, news outlet or pundit doesn’t mention how the Russians interfered with the 2016 elections and the most recent 2018 election. They also talk about the Federal Government needing to step in and do something about voter repression.
However, why are we waiting on the Federal Government for election reform?
Elections are run and regulated almost entirely by state and local governments. This is where special election dates are decided. Where polls will be placed in precincts. How long the polls will be open. If voter ID is needed and in what forms. How many voting machines will be in a polling place. Whether ballots are paper or electronic. Who is awarded electronic voter machine contracts. What the boundaries of districts will be. And so much more.
So I’ll ask again, why are we waiting on the Federal Government to step up and make changes? If we wait for them, then we might be dead before any action is taken, especially in recent political climates.
We, the electorate, need to start putting pressure on state and local governments to ensure all votes are counted. Districts are drawn to fairly equalize the demographics. Ensure all polling places have enough voting machines and are in working order. Make sure all votes are backed up by paper ballots written in plain English and simple to complete. Where polls will be in precincts. Automatic voter registration at the age of 18. And so on.
The Federal Government isn’t going to listen to us any more unless we win the lottery and pay (donate to campaigns) to get their ear.
But we can make our state and local governments do the right thing by who we elect to state and local offices and by contacting them via mail, e-mail, social media, or face-to-face visits.
This can start today. We can make our voices heard very loudly. Register to vote and then actually vote. Write, call, or visit your local government officials. It doesn’t matter if you are Democrat, Republican or any other party. If anyone wants our voices to be heard over big money and apathy, we have to be the change by putting enough pressure locally where they can’t ignore us.
Have you contact your local election offices and officials recently or registered to vote to be the change? If not, make it so!
Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man 